Kakadu National Park Tours

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The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park is a massive Northern Territory nature reserve, clocking in at 4.2 million acres (1.7 million hectares). With sandstone escarpments, secret waterholes, billabongs, and lily-strewn waterways, Kakadu is an introduction to wild Australia. Read on to learn what to see and do in the country’s largest national park.

The Basics

On Kakadu National Park tours and Top End adventures, you’ll find opportunities to encounter exotic animals such as dingoes, wallabies, dugongs, and saltwater crocodiles, and also discover Aboriginal culture, from ancient aboriginal rock art at Ubirr and Nourlangie to the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Cooinda, where visitors pore over traditional bush food and didgeridoos. Ubirr is uniquely beautiful, located at the foot of a food plain, with prominent rock formations standing as guardians of the Arnhem Land. If visiting without a tour guide, be sure to stop into the Bowali Visitor Centre to plan your trip with the center’s staff; this rugged outback environment can be hazardous for the unprepared.

Ways to Visit Kakadu National Park

You can take in Kakadu on a guided tour from Darwin, or, if you have your own car, visit the park independently from much farther areas such as Kimberley and Broome in Western Australia. Most day tours depart from Darwin, about 93 miles (150 km) away, and last upwards of 12 hours, including round-trip transportation by a WiFi-equipped coach. Kakadu National Park can be reached in about 1.5 hours from Darwin by road, and travelers can choose from a variety of options, including small-group tours, private tours, and adventure tours. For a longer excursion, multi-day options offer accommodations or camping experiences that can be combined with a visit to Litchfield National Park, Nitmiluk National Park, or Katherine Gorge, other must-see spots in the Top End.

Top Sights to Experience Kakadu’s Natural Beauty

Cruising along the Mary River wetlands or the East Alligator River (Guluyambi) will allow you to spot native birds and possibly catch a glimpse of a crocodile from a safe distance. Travelers also enjoy cruising Yellow Water Billabong near Cooinda and bush camping in Koolpln Gorge, although it’s recommended that this adventure is taken with a guide unless you’re an experienced outback camper, as permits are required and the terrain is rough. The park’s most prominent water features are Jim Jim Falls and the nearby Twin Falls, but they flow mostly in the quiet wet season. The best way to see these falls is on a scenic flight, which allows for spectacular aerial photo ops.

Best Times to Visit

Most visitors plan their trips for the late July dry season, when most of the park is accessible and animals gather in large numbers around shrinking waterholes. In the wet season from October to March, bodies of water swell and it becomes difficult to move around the park, making plane rides a popular wet season activity.

Experience the natural wonders and ancient cultural heritage of Kakadu — Australia’s largest national park. On this full-day tour from Darwin, cruise along the Yellow Water billabong while spotting crocs basking on the banks. Admire ancient Aboriginal art at the ‘desert museum’ of Nourlangie Rock, and delve deeper into indigenous history at the Warradjan Aboriginal Centre.

Explore Litchfield and Kakadu national parks with an expert guide on a three-day 4WD camping tour from Darwin. Visit Florence and Wangi waterfalls, take a wildlife cruise in the Yellow Water Billabong, discover Twin Falls Gorge and Jim Jim Falls, and admire Kakadu’s indigenous rock art at Ubirr. Swim in some of Australia’s most beautiful waterfall plunge pools and camp under the stars in a comfortable swag (bedroll tent) for an authentic experience of the Australian Outback in a small group with numbers limited to 16 participants.

Explore Kakadu National Park and learn about Australia’s Aboriginal heritage on a full-day tour from Darwin. You'll see the highlights of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed park, including ancient rock art of Ubirr Rock and views from the Nadab lookout. Then take a Guluyambi cultural cruise along the East Alligator River, traveling with an indigenous guide who stops along the way to show you the dramatic landscapes of Arnhem Land. Includes lunch, snacks, guide, transportation, and hotel pickup and drop-off.

Immerse yourself in the cultural heritage and diverse landscapes of Australia’s ‘Top End’ on this 3-day tour from Darwin. In World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, go croc spotting on a Yellow Water billabong cruise and admire ancient Aboriginal rock art. Delve deeper into indigenous history with a 4WD tour to Arnhem Land, where you can try your hand at bush survival techniques and glide down the East Alligator River with an Aboriginal guide.

Experience the wondrous landscapes of the Top End on this 5-day camping tour from Darwin. With a knowledgeable guide, travel in a 4WD vehicle to three popular national parks: Kakadu, Nitmiluk and Litchfield. View Aboriginal rock art, take a crocodile cruise, visit Katherine Gorge and cool off in waterfalls including Twin Falls, Jim Jim Falls, Gunlom Falls and Buley Rockhole on this small-group tour, limited to 16 people. Enjoy campfire evenings, complete meals and sleeping at private campsites in a ‘swag’ (bedroll) or a permanent safari tent. Note: This seasonal tour operates from June through October.

Experience the natural and cultural treasures of World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park on this diverse, 2-day tour from Darwin. Go croc-spotting and see wild birdlife on a cruise down the Yellow Waters billabong, and admire a desert gallery of ancient Aboriginal cave paintings at Nourlangie Rock. Delve deeper into indigenous culture with a 4WD tour to Arnhem Land and Mikinj Valley with an Aboriginal guide.

Explore Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, and the rugged Top End on a 3-day outback safari from Darwin. You'll cool off in the swimming holes of World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, look for crocodiles and birds at the Mary River, check out the Nardab Floodplain from above, and see Aboriginal rock art in Ubirr. Sleep in a comfortably outfitted tent and eat freshly prepared meals as you discover the Northern Territory with your guide.